My Favorite Christmas Song and Other Ramblings

Everybody in Ireland will know my favorite Christmas song and will probably be fed-up of hearing it by now.

But it just struck me that the rest of the world may not know it as well as we do. Are there places in the world where 'Fairytale of New York' is not well-known?

Let me know, eh?

This little post is just my way of wishing all you lovely visitors a Happy and a Peaceful Christmas.

Thanks for a fun fun year, let's hope for more of the same next year.

I'll be 'around' for Christmas so say hello if you're dropping by. I have lots of old whiskey and some porter cake in the press.

All right... I don't. It just sounded good.

Drop by anyway.

There used to be a tradition in Ireland where the Christmas Eve newspapers would publish some fiction. Just a little seasonal reading. I used to like that - I remember John McGahern one year...

Anyway, to try to keep up the tradition, I will post a short story tomorrow night and leave it up for a few days. Although it's not set at Christmas, it does concern ghosts and families, so it might suit the mood a little.

I'll leave you with a joke I heard on the radio yesterday - thanks to Joe Duffy and the guys for this.

God granted a man one wish. He had a choice between all the wisdom in the world or all the money in the world.

I've heard the song on the jukebox of one of my haunts, but I don't think it gets much play here in the states. It's definitely my kind of Christmas song. Happy Christmas & New Year from across the pond!

Fairytale is Carrie's favourite by a long chalk and seeing as I never had one before (honest) it's become mine too.

I'm closing shop now, Ken. All my e-mails and feeds have been read and answered and this is the last one. We're having Xmas a day early this year so the laptop's getting put to bed now. You see you have a nice Xmas when it comes.

Wait a sec ... you're Irish, it could be the end of the world and you'd have a good time.

I'm pleased that I was right about 'fairytale..' not being so widely known outside our neck of the woods.

It's a great song that grows and grows on you. It's very sad too, as we all know Christmas can be - it's nice to see that reflected from time to time.

Haley: Now that I've gone and written about porter-cake, I want some *so* bad, here's hopin' plum pud will suffice.

Oyvind: It's on the radio now as I type - Shane McGowan could not have been expected to live as long as he has be we are grateful to have him - he is not an easy character by any means but he is (I think) the closest we have to a living embodiment of the spirit of Brendan Behan.

Hi Rachel: It is good, innit? :)

Happy Christmas Francis, not too many of those oranges now! :)

Merry Christmas Dear Jena Isle, thanks for all your visits this year.

Jim: You have a great break, me auld flower, and pass my regards on to your lovely missus - who has unerringly excellent taste.

'Well-known' might be a stretch but it does get some play in Canada. There was a time when I'm certain I used to see it on TV - you know, when they played videos and such. Its funny, that song never comes to mind when people ask what my fave song is but that certainly is right up there! Happy holidays!

Yep, I can confirm that in Georgia, US that song is well nigh unheard of.Merry Christmas, Ken. Looking forward to the story. There should be more traditions that include short fiction. Sadly, I think the form is dying.

'Me' Stuff

55 Years Old.
Loves to write.
Has had writing produced for radio, theatre, and film... some short stories published (and broadcast) and a laundry list which was highly commended by 'Whiter than White' in Castle Street.
'My Writing Resume'